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QUAINT OLD-TIME TURF CHARACTER "Burton the Bookmaker" Was an Eccentric Celebrity About Eastern Tracks a Decade or So Ago. NEW YORK, N. Y., December 4. During the winter mouths turfmen who remain hereabouts often et together and discuss the good old days of the turf. Wliile reminiscencing the characteristics and doings of some of the old-timers who have passed away are recalled. Recently at such a gathering among others mentioned was "Burton the Bookmaker." who once was a celebrity about eastern tracks. Always wise was Burton, but, nevertheless, he was one of the most eccentric turfites who ever had to do with the horses in any way. Burton never gave up his residence in Tennessee, although he spent most of his time in the north. Once when asked why he did not make New York his home he replied. "Because Im the smartest blanked man in Tennessee. If I could be the smartest man in New York Id live here." Many tales have been told on Burton and old turfmen recalled the following one: "It was at a race meeting many years ago," said he. "Some of the bookmakers thought they would put one over on the old Tennesseean, who had fought with Forest for the Confederacy. Burton always was a hit slow about putting up his prices in the days of the slates, always waiting to see what the others were doing. One day the leaders of the ring picked a spot and all agreed to mark up to 0 to 1 011 a logical 2 to 1 shot, and then bet Burton when he followed their lead. The late Davy Johnson stood alongside Burtons book, and when the old man followed the other figures and made the favorite 0 to 1, Davy immediately offered him a thousand-dollar wager. " Bet it in your own book, you blankety-blank blank!" was the quick retort of Burton, who immediately rubbed and put up the price at which the horse originally should have been quoted. "Because he never could win a bet from David Gideon, who is still racing his own horses, Burton was superstitious of this particular turfman. This superstition led to a remark that caused Gideon to name the horse Stoningtou, remembered by many of todayts turf followers. It happened on a night when Burton was pursung his favorite pastime of "buckng the tiger. He had been plnyng faro, and was stuck for 0,000, while Stony Melville," who had accompanied him, was also several hundred loser. Gideon always has been an early riser during the training season, having a liking for getting out on the track with the rail birds in the early hours. The night Burton and Melville were playing Gideon had arisen at five oclock and, passing the house where the play was going on, he was attracted by the light and stepped in to see what was doing. He stood behind Burton for a deal or two and watched the "lay. Suddenly Burton sensed the fact that someone was behind his chair and turned to see the man of whom he had a superstition. Then he collasped. " Its all off, Stoningtou, growled the old man. I knew there was some hoodoo about. Lets get away from here before we lose our hides. "Gideon, amused at the old-timer, never forgot the way die handed Stony the full moniker of Stoulngton, and that was how he came to call one of his colts by that name."
